The great painkiller trap - How dangerous is a relaxed approach to painkillers?

Veröffentlicht am: October 09, 2024

General practitioner

Why do we only react when the pain is already there?

Unfortunately, pain is part of our everyday lives! It's mainly our back, joints, head and nerves that hurt.

Nowadays , we are only concerned with treating symptoms and simply suppressing any pain with strong medication. In doing so, we have completely forgotten to research and treat the cause of the pain and thus prevent it.

This must not happen!

Researching the causes, alleviating and preventing pain should always be the first priority!

➤ One in 10 of us suffers from back pain!

What is the problem with strong painkillers?

The USA has shown what happens when strong painkillers, such as opioids, are made easily accessible and even advertised. People become addicted one after the other and the number of deaths from overdose increases rapidly. This is because opioids interfere massively with brain chemistry and thus lead to rapid dependence. Opioids also affect and paralyze the respiratory center.

Today, the US is experiencing a veritable opioid crisis that began decades ago. Since the 1990s, more and more painkillers containing opioids have been prescribed. The pharmaceutical companies have been busy advertising . They assured people that they would not cause addiction. That was a lie. Moreover, people suffering from severe pain naturally want quick relief. It is a logical consequence of this that the risk of developing an addiction increases.

➤ In the USA, 130 people die every day from the misuse of strong painkillers containing opioids.

But here too, all kinds of painkillers are available over the counter in pharmacies. Due to this general presence, as well as a lack of information about the risks, painkillers have also become enormously popular here!

Our society recommends a range of painkillers to each other for headaches, strains or back pain. For many, it provides immediate relief and thus an end to suffering. For some, however, it is the beginning of a long, persistent addiction, with numerous and serious side effects.

Rethinking pain therapy

Who wants to be dependent on strong painkillers and be exposed to dangerous side effects? This is precisely why more and more people are looking for natural alternatives and discovering food supplements as effective pain relief.

➤ 1 in 4 people suffer from chronic, prolonged or recurring pain!

The best natural remedies for general pain relief

1) CBD (cannabidiol oil)

Many people report that chronic pain and inflammation can be relieved naturally with cannabidiol (CBD). CBD oil can, for example, alleviate the chronic pain in tendons and muscles that is typical of fibromyalgia .

Study results confirm that CBD represents a new option for the treatment of chronic pain. CBD inhibits the production and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

In the opioid crisis in the USA, CBD is now increasingly being used. This is because CBD has been shown to provide valuable benefits for people with opioid addiction.

2) MSM (methylsulfonylmethane)

Doctors are increasingly prescribing MSM for chronic pain. This is because MSM has an impressive ability to relieve pain. MSM can help with many different types of pain, such as the number one pain in the population - back pain .

MSM acts as a natural analgesic that blocks the transport of pain impulses through the nerve fibers. MSM has also been used for some time to relieve muscle and joint pain and inflammation (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis).

Combat joint pain in a targeted manner:

1) Green-lipped mussel

Green-lipped mussel: Research results show that the mussel effectively combats inflammation and swelling. The mussel is used in the treatment of arthritis and arthrosis . Our capsules contain valuable omega 3 fatty acids, chondroitin, glucosamine and important nutrients.

2) Incense

Frankincense is considered a highly effective anti-inflammatory. Studies show that frankincense supports joint function. It reduces swelling, improves joint mobility and also alleviates pain. According to the results, frankincense has the same level of effectiveness as anti-inflammatory drugs.

3) Omega 3

Omega-3 fatty acids: Pay attention to your omega-3 level. Too many omega-6 fatty acids aggravate inflammation and result in chronic pain in the long term. Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation and prevent chronic pain.

4) Turmeric

Turmeric has a natural, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. Due to its properties, the root is also often compared to the effect of painkillers. Turmeric is often used for inflammatory diseases such as arthritis or arthrosis, as the turmeric root contains many of the secondary plant substances curcuminoids, which have a strong anti-inflammatory effect.

➤ An estimated 800,000 people in Germany suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.

5 tips to prevent chronic pain

Relieving pain is one thing, but good prevention is also important. So what can you do to prevent yourself from falling into the vicious circle of pain in the first place?

Please note the following 5 points:

Regular exercise and gentle sport
Reduction of stress and lowering of high cortisol levels
Fight inflammation before it occurs
Take the body's warning signs seriously
Help through nutritional supplements

There are numerous natural alternatives that can effectively relieve and prevent pain.

Natural alternatives:

strengthen the musculoskeletal system
help to compensate for deficiencies
reduce inflammation
and counteract damage

Try out what is good for you!

Sources (in English):

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Usha, P, R. & Naidum M, U. (2004). Randomised, Double-Blind, Parallel, Placebo-Controlled Study of Oral Glucosamine, Methylsulfonylmethane and their Combination in Osteoarthritis. Clinical Drug Investigation, 24(6):353-63

Zawadzki M. et al., Perna canaliculus lipid complex PCSO-524™ demonstrated pain relief for osteoarthritis patients benchmarked against fish oil, a randomized trial, without placebo control. Marine Drugs. 2013 Jun 5;11(6):1920-35. doi: 10.3390/md11061920.

Ziegler D., Ametov A., Barinov A., Dyck P. J., Gurieva I., Low P. A. et al. (2006, November). Oral treatment with alpha-lipoic acid improves symptomatic diabetic polyneuropathy: the SYDNEY 2 trial. Diabetes Care, 29(11):2365-70, doi: 10.2337/dc06-1216

Burstein, S. (2015, April). Cannabidiol (CBD) and its analogs: a review of their effects on inflammation. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 23(7):1377-85, doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2015.01.059

Panahi, Y., Hosseini, M. S., Khalili, N., Naimi, E., Majeed, M. & Sahebkar, A. (2015, December). Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of curcuminoid-piperine combination in subjects with metabolic syndrome: A randomized controlled trial and an updated meta-analysis. Clinical nutrition, 34(6):1101-8, doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2014.12.019

Miles, E. A. & Calder, P. C. (2012, May). Influence of marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on immune function and a systematic review of their effects on clinical outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis. British Journal of Nutrition, Volume 107, Issue S2, doi: 10.1017/S0007114512001560, Verfügbar unter [https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/div-classtitleinfluence-of-marine-span-classitalicnspan-3-polyunsaturated-fatty-acids-on-immune-function-and-a-systematic-review-of-their-effects-on-clinical-outcomes-in-rheumatoid-arthritisdiv/0F3DAA86B29B4D942B8381AA3F599D17]

Kimmatkar, N., Thawani, V., Hingorani, L. & Khiyani R. (2003, January). Efficacy and tolerability of Boswellia serrata extract in treatment of osteoarthritis of knee-a randomized double blind placebo controlled trial. Phytomedicine, 10(1):3-7, doi: 10.1078/094471103321648593